A Run, An Ice Cream Sundae, An Inspirational Day

Like the last 3 weeks, Sat morning started around 6.30AM, waking up like it was a work day but preparing for run instead of sitting at a desk.  After the extreme cold of the last few days, Sat AM was a nice reprieve.  About 100 members of the DFMC team met at the Greater Boston Running Co in Newton and prepared to hit the road.  We had a nice run and fantastic volunteers to stand around and support us runners, pouring Gatorade, refilling pretzels and cheering us on.  It was a tough 16 miles but I managed my way through it.  The GBRC were great hosts and had bagels and coffee for us following the run, a very nice way to finish!

Preparing to head out.

After the team run, it was a quick turnaround as there was also the Patient Partner Match Party.  Having run with RJ the last 2 years, we were looking forward to catching up and seeing other patient-runner pairs.  The party started meeting a new patient in the program, Ian, and his dad and brother, as well as Ian's runner.  Though Ian was diagnosed with cancer last April, he's looking strong, as are many of the patients that we saw yesterday.  After chatting for a bit, RJ and I lead the charge to the ice cream sundae table, with the rest of the table close behind. The program began with a patient partner pair, Brendan and Patrick, saying what the program meant to each of them.  It was a great reminder for us runners that while training is a lot to commit to, with many ups and downs, what these kids, and anyone battling cancer, goes/has gone through is so much more.  Seeing RJ, listening to Brendan & Patrick and thinking about the DFMC experience, it was an inspirational way to end the day and make the 16mi training run mean that much more.

Remnants of our tables Ice Cream Sundaes

A Snowy Group Run

As 2014 enters full swing, training and fundraising do the same.  This week 4 local businesses made very generous donations to help with the fundraising efforts.  The Elephant Walk Restaurant generously donated a gift card!  A dinner out is great and perhaps the winner of the Elephant Walk gift card will also win the movie tickets donated by The Coolidge Corner Theater, a great local theater with lots of character that I really like going to.  For those that prefer to experience Boston like they've won the World Series, The Boston Duck Tours generously donated several tickets!  Lastly, a local brewery, Night Shift Brewing, made a generous donation.  Of course we had to sample a few beers while there and enjoyed the unique and different combinations they were serving.

Amy enjoying a taste at Night Shift

Tasting glass.  Must have been good if it's empty

This was a great way to end the day after a nice training run in Wayland and Sudbury MA.  What started as a nice run in the upper 30s, turned into a bit of a sloppy finish, including squeezing water out of my socks.  We ran 14 miles, the last 1/2 in the snow and accumulating slush.  It is always a scenic run from the Longfellow Club but the snow added to it this time.  Some of the biggest snow flakes I've ever seen which really did add to the experience.  The 14 miles went by pretty quickly given our great teammates and the conversations along the way.  Another good week and now only 13 weeks to marathon weekend!

Lots of bright fluorescent colors about to hit the streets

Prerun shot - notice there's no snow

Snow is starting to fall.  Great run with Matt, Amy and Gina

6.5mi water stop.  Thanks to all the volunteers for standing in the cold and snow!

Just a little snow to keep us on our toes

14 Weeks to Go

A lot to activity this week, most of it in the last 48 hours!  Thursday turned out to be a really good day.  Of course, getting out to Arc and running with teammates on Thursday night was fun.  Socializing with folks afterward was a great way to end the day, or so I thought.  Upon arriving home, I had received 3 donations for the fundraiser in April!


A huge shout out to RedBones and JP Licks for providing gift cards and The New England Aquarium for providing admission tickets!  It is so helpful to have the support of local businesses and obviously I'm extremely grateful.  Some folks will be quite lucky on April 2 at the fundraiser as winners of these great prizes!

After my excitement receiving these donations died down, I checked my e-mail and saw that my race entry was confirmed by the BAA: "This is to notify you that your entry into the 118th Boston Marathon on Monday April 21 has been accepted, provided that the information you submitted is accurate."!!  Always an exciting day!

Today capped off a good 48 hrs as the team run was a fun one, though tiring.  We hit the marathon course again and hit the Newton hills as I've done so often in the past.  A good run with great teammates and volunteers on a pretty nice day in January!  With 14 weeks to go, I definitely have some work to do but am pleased where I'm at, for both training and fundraising.  A great start to 2014, but definitely more to do!

A Great Start to Training

Unfortunately the excitement of joining DFMC teammates this weekend for a group run was squashed early due to the storm from Friday.  The team run was canceled on Friday but I still saw many teammates along the course today.  After taking the T out to Woodland  (ca. mile 16.5 on the course), Amy and I ran back to South Boston covering the Newton Hills and other parts of the marathon course. Quite a bit of snow still but luckily the carriage road, where so much of training takes place, was plowed and easily runnable!

The Carriage Road along Comm Ave in Newton, heading up the 'first' of the hills

It was a little wet and slushy at times, but those are temporary annoyances.  The 30+ donors thus far, the gift card donations for the fundraiser and of course, all those battling cancer are really motivating during these types of runs.  The unexpected surprise of seeing 10 teammates along the run and an unofficial 'water stop' was also great.  Thanks to Tim and Patty for the Gatorade and support!  Heartbreak Hill was also clear and we took it on like old pros, or at least like runners who had no other way of getting home.

Amy's first trip up Heartbreak Hill.  Luckily we both survived this round!

After completing the last 9 miles of the course, we ran back to South Boston to a rewarding Dunkin visit.  With the team run being canceled today, we missed out on one of the best places to run from.  The Mount Auburn Club in Watertown has been a great host and provides a great spread at the end of our runs; today a coffee and sandwich tasted pretty good as well.

A successful first training run for 2014!  15 weeks to go!